USING GENETICS TO UNDERSTAND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES Jenae M. Neiderhiser Department of Psychology The Pennsylvania State University Conference on Genetics and Behavior HCEO, University of Chicago. April 18-19, 2014

Genotype-environment correlation  Passive: parents & children share genes & share environments  Evocative: the environment (or people in it) respond to genetically influenced characteristics of individuals  Active: individuals seek out environments correlated with their genotype

Mechanisms of Parenting Parenting behavior Parent’s characteristics Contextual factors Child’s characteristics Passive GE Correlation Evocative GE Correlation GpGp GcGc

Mechanisms of Parenting Parenting behavior Parent’s personality Contextual factors Child’s characteristics Evocative GE Correlation GpGp GcGc Partner relationships Social support Psychopathology

Children Of Twins Design (conceptual) Twin 1 (Parent) Twin 2 (Parent) 1.0 MZ;.5 DZ Child 1Child 2.25 MZ parents;.125 DZ parents.5 Spouse 1 (Parent).5 Spouse 2 (Parent).5.5 MZ parents;.25 DZ parents

Twin Parents sampleTwin Children sample

Narusyte et al 2008 :  Mother reports of maternal overinvolvement & adolescent internalizing problems  Significant EVOCATIVE rGE Findings from ECoT Narusyte et al 2011 : –Parental criticism and adolescent externalizing problems –evocative GE correlation for mothers –Direct environmental influences only for fathers Marceau et al 2014 : –Parental negativity and adolescent externalizing problems –Evocative rGE for mothers & fathers Marceau et al under review : –Parental monitoring and adolescent externalizing problems –No rGE – direct enviornmental influences Horwitz et al under review : –Parental criticism and adolescent somatic symptoms –direct enviornmental influences

Parenting Twin 1 Parenting Twin 2 Parenting Twin 1 Parenting Twin 2 Child Beh Twin 1 Child Beh Twin 2 Time 1 Time 2 A1 A2 C1 C2 A2 E2 E1 A1 A1’ Longitudinal Extended Children of Twins

Time 1Time 2 Parenting Time 1 Child Beh Time 1 A1 A2 C1 C2 E2 E1 A1’ Parenting Time 2 Child Beh Time 2 C1 C2 E2 A2 A1E1 A1’ Cross-Lagged Extended Children of Twins

Prenatal influences Child Biological Mother Biological Father Genetic influences Shared environmental influences Biological Parent-Child Designs

Prenatal influences Child Biological Mother Biological Father Adoptive Mother Adoptive Father Genetic influences Shared environmental influences Adoptive Parent-Child Designs

Evocative rGE and Parenting (Harold et al., 2013)

Evocative rGE and Peers Birth Mother Underarousal Toddler Inattention Mother-Ch Hostility Preschool Disruptive Peer Behavior (Mom) Preschool Disruptive Peer Behavior (Dad).39***.17**.26***.14*.17**.28***.29***.15*.12* Father-Ch Hostility Significant indirect effects: 1.Birth mother underarousal  toddler inattention  mother-to-child hostility (β =.04) 2.Birth mother underarousal  toddler inattention  father-to-child hostility (β =.04) 3.Toddler inattention  mother-to-child hostility  disruptive peer behavior (β =.05) 4.Toddler inattention  father-to-child hostility  disruptive peer behavior (β =.08) χ 2 (2) =.156, RMSEA =.00 (Elam et al., 2014)

Conclusions  Genetically informed studies need to include detailed measurement of family environment  Including prenatal environment  Children influence the environments they experience via (in part) their genes  Parents’ genes also influence the environments they provide  Using a variety of genetically informed designs allows mechanisms/processes to be clarified